And why an industry-leading cloud backup solution in combination with M365 could be the answer.
In today’s digital age, data has become one of the most valuable assets for organisations. It can provide critical insights, improve decision-making, and enhance overall performance. However, data also poses significant risks, such as exposing sensitive information, incurring unnecessary costs, and potentially violating laws and policies.
Effective data lifecycle management (DLM) is essential for maximising the value of data while minimising these risks. And yet, even with clear retention schedules in place, many organisations still struggle to hit that big (bad?) delete button.
The reluctance to delete data
Why is it that the thought of deleting data can strike fear into the heart of the most progressive organisations? In our experience it usually boils down to a combination of simple emotional attachment – users having difficulty letting go of old content – and the fear that some undiscovered value still remains within the data and will be lost forever once deleted.
Unfortunately, giving in to the urge to hoard data is not only increasing business’ risk exposure, it’s also pushing them over their storage limits in platforms like Microsoft 365. The silver lining is that this (costly) realisation is finally driving home the importance of managing data lifecycles effectively.
But that doesn’t make pressing delete any easier…
Taking the fear out of data disposition
The fear of losing valuable data and facing strong push-back from business units can make enforcing stricter disposition policies a challenging prospect. Fortunately, there is an alternative solution that can alleviate these concerns.
Introducing advanced cloud backup solutions
Believe it or not, it is possible to have the best of both worlds: the ability to run a lean Microsoft tenant (and reduce the risk of overage charges) through aggressive retention/disposition policies, while retaining the ability to restore important data if necessary.
The answer is an advanced third-party cloud backup solution.
There are a number of reputable third-party cloud backup options out there, but our personal recommendation – particularly for Microsoft environments – goes to AvePoint for its comprehensive Microsoft cloud content coverage.
AvePoint extends the typical SharePoint files coverage to include the full range of Microsoft workloads like Teams and emails. It also provides self-service access for users to recover their own data without having to call the IT team or helpdesk – a great time- and sanity-saver for everyone involved.
We also love the fact that AvePoint offers amazing flexibility and granularity. You can literally recover an individual file, version, permission or setting if necessary. No more worrying over time-consuming and complicated blanket restores for small recoveries.
3rd Party cloud backup benefits at a glance
Storage Optimisation: By offloading outdated or redundant data to a cloud backup, organisations can free up valuable storage space in their Microsoft tenant, avoiding overage charges.
Comprehensive Coverage: Solutions like AvePoint provide coverage for all Microsoft cloud content, including Teams, emails, and files in SharePoint directories. This ensures that all critical data is backed up and accessible when needed.
Self-Service Access: Users can recover their data without having to call the IT team or helpdesk, thanks to self-service access. This feature not only saves time but also empowers users to manage their data efficiently.
Granular Restore Capabilities: The ability to recover individual files, versions, permissions, or settings provides flexibility and ensures that restoring data is neither time-consuming nor complicated.
Compliance and Security: Advanced cloud backup solutions support compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. They also offer features like ransomware recovery warranties, ensuring data integrity and security.
The value of partnering with a content management expert
The fear of hitting the delete button is understandable given the potential value of data. However, with a full understanding of lifecycle management on Microsoft 365 and an industry-leading cloud backup solution on deck, it’s possible to confidently free up storage space, implement more aggressive retention and disposition policies to match corporate retention policies, and ensure that critical data can be restored if or when needed.
Of course, as with most things in the world of Microsoft, the devil is in the details. Knowing the pros and cons of each backup solution, which shortcuts to take, and which pitfalls and obstacles to avoid can make a tangible difference to the success of your data lifecycle management choices. As such, we always recommend working with an experienced partner when possible.
At Cloud Essentials, we’ve been helping clients archive, migrate and manage their content for over twenty years, and we can confidently say that we are more than ready to handle any challenges that your environment can throw at us.
Our compliance and legal teams offer expert advice to ensure that your retention and deletion policies are fit-for-purpose and meet all regulatory requirements. Meanwhile, our security and technical experts help safeguard your data with reliable and cost-effective M365 policies and cloud backup solutions, ensuring your retention and deletion schedules are optimally implemented to work as expected.
Together, we can put an end to fear-based retention/disposition decisions and transform your data into an asset, not a liability.